The carbon community 2024 /2025 The Carbon Community.._. ANNUAL REPORT
Contents
Cover Letter 2 from the Trustees 3
Reports
Annual Report & 15 Financial Statements
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The Carbon Community
Cover Letter from the Trustees
Dear Supporters, Partners and Friends,
Across Nature, Science and People, 2024 / 2025 marked a milestone year for The Carbon Community and Glandwr Forest.
Our year begins in October with our annual Big Tree Measure, the flagship event in our community science program. Between 2nd and 12th October, 105 volunteers came together at Glandwr Forest to measure 6,400 trees. This was our fourth year measuring the trees, and we were delighted to welcome new volunteers as well as individuals and organisations who return to support this program year after year.
With the arrival of 2025, the charity celebrated its fifth birthday, a testament to the creativity, collaboration and commitment of everyone who has been involved in the charity over the last five years.
The forest is now maturing into a rich mosaic of woodland, hedgerows, and species-rich grassland. Nestled within is a pioneering field trial on carbon sequestration and a facility for research.
The scientific work at Glandwr Forest reached an important stage in 2025. The Glandwr Forest Carbon Study is now at the five-year mark, during which researchers from Imperial College London collected samples to assess belowground carbon sequestration. Work also continued with Swansea University on drone-based measurement and verification, an important line of research into carbon monitoring of young forests.
For nature at Glandwr Forest, this was a year of challenge and resilience. Extreme weather brought storms, heavy rain, heatwaves and prolonged dry spells, and while some losses were deeply felt, the wider landscape continued to respond with strength and vitality.
Across the site, more than 650 new trees were planted, and 560 metres of hedge were laid, coppiced, created or enriched to help strengthen wildlife corridors and improve habitat connectivity. The wider vision for connected trees and woodlands also advanced, with conservation grazing infrastructure, protection for mature hedgerow trees and a 20-year woodland management plan all helping to secure the long-term ecological future of the site.
There was also much to celebrate with Glandwr Woodland receiving a Gold Medal at the Royal Welsh Show in the national woodlands competition for broadleaf planting or restocking under ten years old. A welcome recognition of the care, skill and persistence invested by so many people.
None of this would be possible without the people who make The Carbon Community what it is. In 2024 / 2025, we hosted 29 events, including 24 volunteer days, with volunteers contributing over 1,000 hours. It is the foundation of a model that brings together practical action, scientific research and shared learning in a way that is both rigorous and joyful.
As trustees, we are deeply grateful to every donor, volunteer, researcher, partner and supporter who has helped bring this work forward. This report shows what can be achieved when care for nature, scientific ambition and community commitment are held together.
Thank you to everyone who has made this progress possible.
Yours faithfully,
Charles Nicholls, Heather Allen, Jane Nicholls
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The Carbon Community
Report - Science
“The Glandwr Forest Carbon Study has been a genuine collaboration between the scientists working on the project, The Carbon Community, and the citizen science volunteers. 2025 marks the fifth year of the project, and a significant scientific milestone. At last, enough time has elapsed for us to rigorously quantify changes in carbon held below-ground - in the roots and in the soil. When we combine these data with the tree measurements you have collected, we will obtain the first holistic picture of how our treatments are impacting ecosystem carbon capture.”
Bonnie Waring, Associate Professor of Ecosystems Ecology, Imperial College London
Glandwr Forest Carbon Study
Our year began with the fourth annual Big Tree Measure, when citizen scientists joined us to take the above-ground measurements of 6,400 trees.
Why so many? This is a largescale field trial designed with replication to allow for statistical robustness. The field trial spans 11.5 hectares, or roughly 18 football pitches, looking at both conifer (Sitka spruce) and mixed native broadleaf planting with two nature-based treatments - enhanced rock weathering and soil microbiome enrichment.
Maintaining the integrity of a field experiment on the ground with 72 test cells and 25,600 trees is a major undertaking. Again this
year, volunteers joined us for the “Carbon Study Spruce Up” to check that bar codes are intact, replace broken stakes and ensure plot boundaries are clear.
2025 marked a major milestone for this long-term field trial. Now that enough time has elapsed, researchers from Imperial College London have collected samples to help assess carbon sequestration below-ground.
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The Carbon Community
Far Left - Measuring diameter at base Top Left - Volunteers Big Tree Measure 2024 Bottom Left - Measuring height Top Right - Collecting fine root samples Bottom Right - Tracking progress at Big Tree Measure 2024
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The Carbon Community
Top Right - Backpacks ready for volunteering Top Left, Bottom Left, Far Right and Bottom Right - Teams geopositioning trees at Big Tree Measure 2023
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The Carbon Community
Report - Science
Glandwr Forest MRV study
Who remembers the yellow backpacks and geo-positioning the trees? In 2023, The Carbon Community, in collaboration with Swansea University, received a Woodlands Into Management Forestry Innovation Fund (WIMFIF) grant from the Forestry Commission to look at ‘dronebased measurement and verification of standing timber and carbon volumes’.
Bringing together the unique combination of citizen scientists from The Carbon Community and researchers from Swansea University, this innovative project has been able to correlate results between on-the-ground measurements and drone overflights of 6,400 trees. Demonstrating reliable links between drone data and field plots helps to lay the foundations for robust, scalable MRV systems that can support high-integrity measurement in young forests.
The research was completed in March 2025, and we look forward to sharing the findings when published.
A facility for researchers
Glandwr Forest is increasingly recognised as a field site where students and researchers can explore fundamental and applied questions about forests, soils and climate. In 2025, researchers and PhD students from Imperial College London, The University of Sheffield, and Swansea University collected data at Glandwr Forest.
Visits from students continued to grow. Swansea University’s Department of Geography continued its long-term partnership with The Carbon Community, with academics and Master’s students returning for a fourth consecutive year to join Big Tree Measure. Black Mountains College students joined for the first time this year to learn how a long-term research trial operates in a working landscape.
The size, scale and layout of the carbon study have created a facility for long-term research on forest carbon sequestration. With grassland areas, hedgerows, and peat, there is even greater potential for integrated research.
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The Carbon Community
Report - Nature
The year brought intense, sometimes conflicting weather conditions: Storm Éowyn in January, months of heavy rain, and then four separate heatwaves and prolonged dry spells. We have mourned the loss of some favourite trees and marvelled as nature found a way to thrive.
Habitat and Hedgerows
The year we introduced a skills development session on Brecon-style hedge-laying. The goal was to lay an overgrown hazel hedge laid decades earlier. Hedgerows are rich wildlife corridors across the landscape. Over January and February 2025, more than 560 metres of hedge were laid, coppiced, created or enriched with minor native species such as dogwood, guelder rose and alder buckthorn.
An award-winning Forest
2025 was also a year of public recognition. At the Royal Welsh Show, Glandwr Woodland won a Gold Medal in the national woodlands competition for Broadleaf Planting or Restocking under Ten Years Old, competing against previous regional gold medallists from 2021–2024. This award celebrates the careful design and stewardship of the woodland and reflects the contribution of everyone who has planted, measured, and cared for the trees.
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The Carbon Community
Left - January: Hedge-laying Right - March: Planting a new hedgerow Middle - May: Blossom Top - July: Glandwr Forest
“The earth is what we all have in common”
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Wendell Berry
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The Carbon Community
Thp Carhon Cninmunity
Report - Nature
Connected Trees and Woodlands
The new woodlands at Glandwr Forest were carefully designed to fit into the landscape and were planted on the least biodiverse areas of the site. Areas identified as being either of landscape significance or biodiversity value were left unplanted.
In 2025, the “Connected Trees and Woodlands” project has enabled a whole site vision that links hedgerows, hedgerow trees, new woodland, areas of natural regeneration and species-rich grasslands into one coherent habitat network.
Over 15% of the site is made up of mature hedgerow trees, including veterans, which are a critical source of site native regeneration, as well as offering valuable habitat for lichens, insects and bats. Thanks to new stockproof fencing and water sources, we can now introduce conservation grazing in areas we were previously unable to manage. Double fencing has been put in place to allow the protection of mature hedgerow trees from browsing, soil compaction and eutrophication; and to facilitate natural regeneration.
Alongside this, a 20-year woodland management plan is now in place. The long-term vision includes management of the forest on a continuous cover basis, to develop a more uneven age structure. Management of the woodlands will include opportunities for coppicing to provide canopy gaps and mowing of rides through the trees will provide ample woodland corridors and edge habitat for invertebrates, mammals and woodland flowering plants. Where deadwood and fallen trees do not pose a risk to people or an impediment to access, it will be left to provide habitat for saprophytic fungi and insects.
Top Left - Area for new hedge bank Bottom Left - Dewpond Right - Protected hedgerow trees
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The Carbon Community
Report - Nature
Trees
And this brings us to the trees, over 650 new trees were planted at Glandwr Forest in 2025 including new hedgerow trees in some of our newly created hedge banks; filling in gaps along our laid hedgerows; Black Poplar conservation; and replacing and remeasuring trees in our research areas.
Top Left August: Black Poplar Bottom Left - September: Guelder Rose Middle - July: Baby Oak in one of the research areas Top Right - May: Tree shelters nested and ready for recycling Bottom Right - October: Autumn Colours Woodland
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The Carbon Community
Over 100,000 trees have been planted at Glandwr, with the majority planted in 2021. At the time of planting, we agonised over the choice of tree shelters which were necessary to protect young broadleaf trees from rabbits and hares. In the end, we chose to use locally produced recycled plastic shelters that were affordable, strong enough for the Welsh winds, and recyclable in a closed-loop system. Many of the trees are now large enough for the shelters to be removed, and this year 3,200 shelters were removed and taken to be recycled.
The autumn colours woodland is an area planted by volunteers in 2022 with trees donated by the public. This area continues to thrive, and the trees are really starting to show off their colours.
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The Carbon Community
Report - People
Volunteering and Community Science
The Carbon Community lives up to its name thanks to hundreds of people who contribute time, skills and enthusiasm each year. In 2024 / 2025, volunteering ranged from hedgerow planting and hedgelaying to tree-planting weekends, tree-shelter removal, carbon-study spruce-up days, and the flagship Big Tree Measure.
Throughout the year, we hosted 29 events with just over 230 event attendees. This included 24 volunteer days, with volunteers contributing over 1,000 hours.
At each event, volunteers gather over tea and coffee before a briefing for the day. Then we are off to lay hedges, plant trees, collect tree shelters, maintain the site, or measure trees. Many of our volunteers come back again and again to learn, to spend time together outdoors and to make a difference.
Top Left - October 2024 Bottom Left - Weekend Volunteers
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The Carbon Community
Tree walks and visits
Beyond volunteering days, Glandwr Forest welcomed visitors for guided tree walks, professional visits and learning exchanges. In June, Tree Walks led by a local expert provided opportunities for people to explore veteran trees, thriving hedgerows and the research woodland. In September, we were visited by the South Wales Division of the Royal Forestry Society to learn more about the techniques being trialled at Glandwr.
Top Left - October 2024 Middle - July: Veteran Oak Bottom Left - June: Tree Walk & Talk Bottom Right - September: Royal Forestry Society visit
“I have been doing this since 2020. From initial planting, measuring, now hedging I love the area, the impact it is having and watching the growth and development. These trees have become my family.” Community Science Volunteer
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The Carbon Community
The Carbon Community (A company limited by guarantee)
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
UHY Ross Brooke, Dorcan Business Village, Unit 16, Murdock Road, Swindon Wiltshire, SN3 5HY
Company registration number: 12273280 Charity registration number: 1187231
Contents
18 Trustees’ Report
Independent 29 Examiner’s Report
Statement of 30 Financial Activities
31 Balance Sheet Notes to the 32 Financial Statements
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
The trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present the annual report together with the financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 30 September 2025.
Trustees
C M Nicholls H B Allen J K Nicholls
Objectives and activities
Objects and aims
The Carbon Community is an environmental charity dedicated to accelerating carbon removal from the atmosphere with breakthrough science. Our journey started with a question. ‘How do you maximise carbon sequestration in a forest?’ This led to many conversations with leading environmental scientists that helped design our landmark research program to help trees grow faster, become more resilient, and absorb more carbon from the atmosphere.
To achieve this, our aim is to bring together trees, science and people by establishing a new broadleaf forest for future generations, facilitating scientific research and fostering community science.
Our guiding principles:
All of our work is grounded by the following guiding principles:
• Research: Support scientists, funding primary research on accelerating carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems and providing a research facility at Glandwr Forest for Master’s and PhD students.
• Education: Share our findings, learnings and insights with our community scientists, students and the global community.
• Advocacy: Advance planting techniques for trees everywhere.
• Community: Build a vibrant community of people working to address the climate and biodiversity crises, both local to our projects and in locations where our research can help local projects accelerate carbon sequestration.
• Action: Accelerate carbon sequestration and improve biodiversity across all habitats at Glandwr Forest.
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
Achievements and performance
In 2024/2025 our community has been thriving together, achieving remarkable progress across four of our guiding principles - Research, Education, Community and Action.
Research:
As a science-based environmental charity, we are proud to report progress in 2024 / 2025 on both our primary research and the continued development of Glandwr Forest as a research facility.
Glandwr Forest Carbon Study
This pioneering field trial represents a unique ongoing research program among The Carbon Community, leading environmental scientists, and a network of citizen-scientist volunteers. As part of this study, research grants were awarded to Imperial College London in this fiscal year.
The experiment was established in October 2020 and examines two types of forestry - broadleaf and conifer - and two nature-based treatments - enhanced rock weathering and microbial enrichment. We are currently in the second phase of this research project, and this year saw significant work on data collection from both researchers and citizen scientists.
Our financial year begins in October, which is the time for our annual Big Tree Measure, the flagship event in our community science program. Between 2nd and 12th October, 105 volunteers came together at Glandwr Forest to measure 6,400 trees. This was our fourth year measuring the trees, and we were delighted to welcome new volunteers as well as individuals and organisations who return to support this program year after year.
In last year’s report we highlighted our ongoing commitment to continue the Glandwr Forest Carbon Study through to the critical five-year mark. At the end of this financial year, we are anticipating the fifth year of tree measurement, which is an important research milestone.
“The Glandwr Forest Carbon Study has been a genuine collaboration between the scientists working on the project, The Carbon Community, and the citizen science volunteers. 2025 marks the fifth year of the project, and a significant scientific milestone. At last, enough time has elapsed for us to rigorously quantify changes in carbon held below-ground - in the roots and in the soil. When we combine these data with the tree measurements you have collected, we will obtain the first holistic picture of how our treatments are impacting ecosystem carbon capture.” Bonnie Waring, Associate Professor of Ecosystems Ecology, Imperial College London
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
Glandwr Forest MRV Study
In June 2023, The Carbon Community secured a two-year grant from the Forestry Commission’s Woodlands Into Management Forestry Innovation Fund for a two-year MRV (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification) project together with Swansea University to look at ‘drone based measurement and verification of standing timber and carbon volumes’.
Bringing together the unique combination of citizen scientists from The Carbon Community and researchers from Swansea University, this innovative project has been able to correlate results between on-the-ground measurements and drone overflights of 6,400 trees. Demonstrating reliable links between drone data and field plots helps to lay the foundations for robust, scalable MRV systems that can support high-integrity carbon projects.
The research was completed in March 2025, and we look forward to sharing the findings when published. As part of this project, a grant was made to Swansea University in 2025.
Glandwr Forest as a Research Facility
Glandwr Forest is increasingly recognised as a field site where students and researchers can explore fundamental and applied questions about forests, soils and climate. In 2025, researchers and PhD students from Imperial College London, The University of Sheffield, and Swansea University collected data at Glandwr Forest.
Visits from students continued to grow. Swansea University’s Department of Geography continued its long-term partnership with The Carbon Community, with academics and Master’s students returning to join Big Tree Measure. Black Mountains College joined us, learning how a long-term research trial operates in a working landscape.
The size, scale and layout of the carbon study have created a facility for long-term research on forest carbon sequestration. With the grassland areas, hedgerows and peat, there is even more potential for integrated research.
Education:
At The Carbon Community, education centres on our community science volunteering program, which runs year-round, including our flagship Big Tree Measure event in October. Each year, we also try to broaden the reach of our education opportunities and this year two new events were added, including a Tree Walk to learn more about trees and an event to learn Brecon-style hedge-laying.
Education highlights for 2024 / 2025 have included:
Master’s students from the Geography Department at Swansea University joined us for our Big Tree Measure for the fourth year in a row.
Students from Black Mountains College joined us for our Big Tree Measure for the first time. Students working on their Welsh Baccalaureate join us to work on the volunteering contribution of these awards.
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
Community:
Throughout the year, we hosted 29 events with just over 230 event attendees. This included 24 volunteer days, with volunteers contributing over 1,000 hours.
Action:
2025 brought intense, sometimes conflicting weather conditions: Storm Éowyn in January, months of heavy rain, and then four separate heatwaves and prolonged dry spells. We have mourned the loss of some favourite trees and marvelled as nature found a way to thrive.
Habitat and Hedgerows:
The year began with a session on Brecon-style hedge-laying. The goal was to learn new skills and transform an overgrown hazel hedge laid decades earlier. Hedgerows are rich wildlife corridors across the landscape. Over January and February 2025, more than 560 metres of hedge were laid, coppiced, created or enriched with minor native species such as dogwood, guelder rose and alder buckthorn.
Awards:
2025 was also a year of public recognition. At the Royal Welsh Show, Glandwr Woodland won a Gold Medal in the national woodlands competition for Broadleaf Planting or Restocking under Ten Years Old, competing against previous regional gold medallists from 2021-2024. These results reflect the hard work and dedication of everyone who has been involved in our community.
Connected Trees and Woodlands:
The new woodlands at Glandwr Forest were carefully designed to fit into the landscape and were planted on the least biodiverse areas of the site. Areas identified as being either of landscape significance or biodiversity value were left unplanted.
In 2025, the “Connected Trees and Woodlands” project enabled a whole-site vision that linked hedgerows, hedgerow trees, new woodland, areas of natural regeneration and species-rich grasslands into one coherent habitat network. This project was supported by the Welsh Government’s National Forest for Wales Landscape Pilot 2024/2025, administered by WCVA via Carmarthenshire Nature Partnership.
Over 15% of the site is made up of mature hedgerow trees, including veterans, which are a critical source of native regeneration on site and offer valuable habitat for lichens, insects and bats. Thanks to new stockproof fencing and water sources, we can now introduce conservation grazing in areas we were previously unable to manage. Double fencing has been put in place to protect mature hedgerow trees from browsing, soil compaction, and eutrophication, and to facilitate natural regeneration.
Alongside this, a 20-year woodland management plan is now in place. The long-term vision includes managing the forest on a continuous-cover basis to develop a more uneven age structure. Management of the woodlands will include opportunities for coppicing to create canopy gaps, and mowing of rides through the trees will provide ample woodland corridors and edge habitat for invertebrates, mammals, and woodland-flowering plants. Where deadwood and fallen trees do not pose a risk to people or an impediment to access, they will be left to provide habitat for saprophytic fungi and insects.
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
Trees:
And this brings us to the trees, over 650 new trees were planted at Glandwr Forest in 2025 including new hedgerow trees in some of our newly created hedge banks; filling in gaps along our laid hedgerows; Black Poplar conservation; and replacing and remeasuring trees in our research areas.
Fundraising disclosures
Public Fundraising:
The Carbon Community’s aim is to raise funds in a respectful way that is aligned with our values. In all of our fundraising we work diligently to comply with the Code of Fundraising Practise and uphold the standards it promotes.
Public benefit
The public benefits that shape our annual activity are environmental protection and climate restoration. In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have given consideration to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit (PB2).
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Data Protection:
The Carbon Community places great importance on the security of support and volunteer data and personal information. For information on how the charity uses and protects personal data, please see our privacy policy.
https://www.carboncommunity.org/privacy-policy
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
Financial review
Overall, 2024/25 was a solid year financially for The Carbon Community with total income into the charity during the year of £245,637, of which £107,470 was from donations, £109,778 was a govement grant WCVA: National Forest for Wales Landscape Pilot, £28,132 from government grants, £181 from gift aid reclaimed and £76 from other income.
Total expenditure on charitable activities was £95,624 including:
-
£60,335 spent on Scientific research,
-
£749 spent on Tree planting and
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£34,540 spent on unrestricted charitable activities.
Within the £60,335 spent on spent on Scientific research there were two grants paid, £12,187 to the University of Swansea and £44,736 to the Imperial College London.
The Charity made a loan of £150,411 to Carbon Community Trading Limited during the year for tree planting, forest management and delivery of the WCVA: National Forest for Wales Landscape Pilot government grant.
The funds held at the end of the year were as follows:
Restricted - £Nil
Designated unrestricted - Tangible asset - Land - £659,424 General unrestricted £767,340 (As per Note 16, subsequent to the year end, this reserves balance will reduce by £648,329 as the previous loan of £648,329 to the subsidiary company has now been treated as a permanent grant. The balance will increase by £100,000 subsequent to the year end as the £100,000 outstanding mortgage balance has been cleared by a donation in the year ended 30th September 2026.)
Total £1,426,764 (breakdown on note 18)
We wish to say thank you to all the supporters of The Carbon Community. To everyone who has volunteered, donated or helped spread the word, thank you for a fantastic year!
Policy on reserves
In the current stage of TCC’s evolution, the Trustee’s have approved a reserves policy to hold a minimum of three months of reserves and a maximum of nine months of reserves to cover our operating costs. These reserves will be separate to ensure that we have funds to cover our forward contracts. They will also be separate to ensure that we have sufficient working capital for tree maintenance due to the time lag in receiving funds from our contract with NRW (Natural Resources Wales). The Trustees will review this Reserves Policy a minimum of once per year. The current level of reserves will be reviewed at each Trustee meeting.
The Trustees reviewed the reserves and agree that they are in line with the charity’s reserves policy. Reserves are in place for the research grants due within 18 months, three months of running costs, and the site emergency reserve at the agreed level of £30,000. The mortgage comes due on 30th September 2026. The Trustees reconfirmed that they will sell carbon credits or biodiversity credits as a way to repay the mortgage if a suitable donation cannot be found.
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
Investment policy and objectives
The Charity does not have any investments. The Trustees are committed to developing an investment policy when we reach an appropriate stage in our evolution.
Plans for future periods
Aims and key objectives for future periods
In last year’s report we outlined in the next phase of our development from 2024 – 2026 we continue to look at how to bring together trees, science and people in support of our mission. This includes the development of Glandwr Forest, our research, Glandwr Forest as a research facility, and our community science program.
Trees - Development of Glandwr Forest:
Glandwr Forest is more than trees. The Connected Trees and Woodlands project in 2025 has helped connect the mosaic of habitats. Over the coming years, we will continue to explore how to bring more of the site under management for carbon sequestration, biodiversity, education, and future research opportunities.
Science – Glandwr Forest Carbon Study and Glandwr Forest MRV Study:
In 2026, we hope to see the publication of the first findings from our primary research studies. Our Carbon Study aims to deepen the fundamental understanding of carbon dynamics in forest ecosystems and identify techniques to increase CO2 uptake in trees and soil. The Glandwr Forest MRV Study examines how remote sensing can be used to measure the health, growth, and carbon sequestration of young forests.
Science – Our Research Facility:
Continue to grow the number of organisations conducting research at Glandwr Forest.
People – Community Science:
Further develop our community science program building links with the community, young people, NGOs, researchers, government, forestry sector and our supporters.
Structure, governance and management
Recruitment and appointment of trustees
The subscribers to the Memorandum are the first Trustees of the Charity, who shall hold office for such a term of office as they determine. Any person who is willing to act as a Trustee of the Charity and is permitted to be so appointed by law and the articles, may be appointed to be a Trustee by a resolution of the Trustees. A Trustee shall serve a four-year term of office (unless the Trustees resolve that he or she should be appointed for a shorter period) and may be reappointed with no limit on the number of consecutive terms of office a Trustee may hold.
In September 2025, the Trustees accepted and approved the following nominations for renewal:
- Heather Allen is appointed as a Trustee for a one-year term, ending September 30, 2026
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
Organisational structure
The Carbon Community was officially registered at Companies House on 21st October 2019 and by the Charity Commission on 6th January 2020. The charity was constituted as a company limited by guarantee and is governed by Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 21 October 2019. The Trustees are directors for the purpose of company law. In the event of the company being wound down members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1.
Major risks and management of those risks
Through the course of 2024/2025, the Trustees have looked at six areas of risk for The Carbon Community - land management, science project implementation, financial resilience, organisational resilience, volunteers and reputational risk.
Land Management:
Forest management is being handled by Tilhill Forestry who manage day to day forestry operations including ground preparation, tree planting, fencing, site maintenance, grassland management and site access. At the start of the year, there were three areas of meadowland where a local farmer brings their sheep to graze which assists with grassland management. During the winter, a major project was completed to bring three additional grassland areas into management, including the installation of water access for animals, stock-proof fencing, and protection for trees. We are now working with a local farmer to look at the best way to manage this area for biodiversity, grassland management, and to manage fire risk.
Access to the site for volunteers, researchers and workers continues to be important. This year, we have done some work on the hairpin turn on the access road to improve safety and repair damage. Within the next year the charity will need to resurface its primary access road and various options are being explored.
Third party liability insurance is in place and as the trees planted this season grow larger, the Trustees plan to investigate additional insurance to protect against pest, disease and fire risk. The Trustees are keeping a close eye on deer that have been spotted in the area.
Science Project Implementation:
Our science project launched successfully on May 27, 2021. In November 2022 after our second year of tree growth in the field and second year of tree measurement, our Scientific Advisory Board agreed to extend the study for an additional three years. This five-year time horizon allows for a total carbon picture of the forest and requires additional funding for some of the streams. This time horizon will be assessed each year following our Big Tree Measure, the Scientific Advisory Board regularly reviews and manages risk.
Financial Resilience:
Glandwr Forest is now registered with The Woodland Carbon Code, which paves the way to raising funds from the sale of carbon credits should this be required. An initial repayment of the mortgage was made ahead of schedule in September 2022, the remaining balance of the mortgage will be paid in line with the sale of carbon credits which are being considered as a way of increasing reserves and paying down the loan.
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
During the past year, The Carbon Community secured donations from SAP, L&G, Welsh Government, as well the second year of our grant from the Forestry Commission for new research on remote verification. To address our long-term financial resilience and to extend our scientific research the Trustees continue to look at additional sources of funding the long term success of the charity.
Volunteers:
Throughout 2024 / 2025, The Carbon Community has continued our community science volunteer program with over 183 attendees participating in our onsite volunteering programs. Risk assessments and safety briefings are in place.
Organisational Resilience:
To date, the charity has been run by volunteer trustees. The trustees are aware that this is a significant time commitment and that looking ahead, they will need to ensure organisational resilience either with additional volunteers or potentially paid roles.
Reputational risk:
The trustees have also discussed which kind of companies the charity should partner with and accept donations from. For each corporate donation, the trustees ensure that they are satisfied, and able to show, that it is in the best interests of the charity to accept the donation. This involves a careful consideration, based on evidence, of the risks of accepting the donation against its benefit.
Important non-adjusting events after the financial period
Subsequent to the year end, the trustees of The Carbon Community reviewed the funding provided to Carbon Community Trading Ltd to support the delivery of the charity’s charitable activities. Following this review, the trustees resolved that funding of £648,329, which had been advanced to the trading subsidiary as at 30 September 2025, would be treated as a permanent grant rather than a repayable loan.
At the reporting date, this amount was included within debtors falling due after more than one year, which totalled £700,869. The trustees’ decision was made after the end of the reporting period and relates to conditions arising after that date. Accordingly, this represents a non-adjusting event and no adjustments have been made to the amounts recognised in these financial statements.
Following this decision, the intercompany loan balance receivable from the subsidiary is expected to reduce to £52,540 in the year ended 30 September 2026.
Subsequent to the year end, the trustees of The Carbon Community discussed the £100,000 outstanding mortgage balance with Heather Allen. During the year to 30th September 2026 a donation was made to clear the outstanding mortgage balance.
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
Reference and Administrative Details
Trustees and officers
The trustees and officers serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:
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C M Nicholls
H B Allen
Trustees J K Nicholls
S Winder (appointed 1 March 2026)
40 Alma Road
Windsor
Principal Office Berkshire
SL4 3HJ
Company Registration Number 12273280
Charity Registration Number 1187231
The charity is incorporated in England and Wales.
UHY Ross Brooke
Dorcan Business Village
Unit 16, Murdock Road
Independent Examiner
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN3 5HY
IBB Solicitors Capital Court
30 Windsor Street
Uxbridge
Middlesex
UB8 1AB
Solicitors
AgriAdvisor
Henllan
Pumsaint
Llanwrda
SA19 8AX
Starling Bank Limited
3rd Floor
Bankers 2 Finsbury Avenue
London
EC2M 2PP
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The Carbon Community
Trustees’ Report
Statement of trustees’ responsibilities
The trustees (who are also the directors of The Carbon Community for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland”.
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards, comprising FRS 102 have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Small companies provision statement
This report has been prepared in accordance with the small companies regime under the Companies Act 2006.
The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity on 21[st] July 2026 and signed on its behalf by:
........................................................................... signed by Charles Nicholls C M Nicholls Chairman of the Board of Trustees
28
The Carbon Community
Independent Examiner’s Report
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 September 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of The Carbon Community as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
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the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
.................................................................... signed by Kerry Hawkins
....................................................................
Kerry Hawkins, FCCA, UHY Ross Brooke
Dorcan Business Village Unit 16, Murdock Road Swindon Wiltshire SN3 5HY
Date: 21[st] July 2026
29
The Carbon Community
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
(Including Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | funds | funds | 2025 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | ||||
| Income and Endowments from: | ||||||
| Donations and legacies | 3 | 59,519 | 186,042 | 245,561 | ||
| Other income | 76 | - | 76 | |||
| Total income | 59,595 | 186,042 | 245,637 | |||
| Expenditure on: | ||||||
| Charitable activities | 4 | (34,540) | (61,084) | (95,624) | ||
| Total expenditure | (34,540) | (61,084) | (95,624) | |||
| Net income | 25,055 | 124,958 | 150,013 | |||
| Transfers between funds | 149,236 | (149,236) | - | |||
| Net movement in funds | 174,291 | (24,278) | 150,013 | |||
| Reconciliation of funds | ||||||
| Total funds brought forward | 1,252,473 | 24,278 | 1,276,751 | |||
| Total funds carried forward | 18 | 1,426,764 | - | 1,426,764 | ||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | ||||
| Note | funds | funds | 2024 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | ||||
| Income and Endowments from: | ||||||
| Donations and legacies | 3 | 22,510 | 54,467 | 76,977 | ||
| Total income | 22,510 | 54,467 | 76,977 | |||
| Expenditure on: | ||||||
| Charitable activities | 4 | (15,759) | (20,543) | (36,302) | ||
| Total expenditure | (15,759) | (20,543) | (36,302) | |||
| Net income | 6,751 | 33,924 | 40,675 | |||
| Transfers between funds | 9,646 | (9,646) | - | |||
| Net movement in funds | 16,397 | 24,278 | 40,675 | |||
| Reconciliation of funds | ||||||
| Total funds brought forward | 1,236,076 | - | 1,236,076 | |||
| Total funds carried forward | 18 | 1,252,473 | 24,278 | 1,276,751 |
All of the charity’s activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2024 is shown in note 18.
The notes on pages 32 to 42 form an integral part of these financial statements.
30
The Carbon Community
Balance Sheet
(Registration number: 12273280) Balance Sheet as at 30 September 2025
| Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 8 Investments 9 Current assets Owed by subsidiary undertakings 10 Cash at bank and in hand 11 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 12 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year 13 Net assets Funds of the charity: Restricted income funds Restricted funds 18 Unrestricted income funds Unrestricted funds Total funds 18 |
2025 £ 664,845 1 664,846 700,869 169,699 870,568 (108,650) 761,918 1,426,764 - 1,426,764 - 1,426,764 1,426,764 |
2024 £ 652,585 1 |
|---|---|---|
| 652,586 | ||
| 550,516 177,249 |
||
| 727,765 (63,600) |
||
| 664,165 | ||
| 1,316,751 (40,000) |
||
| 1,276,751 | ||
| 24,278 1,252,473 |
||
| 1,276,751 |
For the financial year ending 30 September 2025 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Directors’ responsibilities:
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The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476; and
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The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
The financial statements on pages 30 to 42 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 21[st] July 2026 and signed on their behalf by:
........................................................................... signed by Charles Nicholls C M Nicholls
Chairman of the board of Trustees
The notes on pages 32 to 42 form an integral part of these financial statements.
31
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
1 Charity status
The charity is limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales, and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the trustees is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards the assets of the charity in the event of liquidation.
The principal place of business is: 40 Alma Road
Windsor Berkshire SL4 3HJ
2 Accounting policies
Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.
Statement of compliance
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)) (issued in October 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Basis of preparation
The Carbon Community meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.
Going concern
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity.
Group accounts not prepared
The Carbon Community is exempt from preparing group accounts as it is a small group.
Income and endowments
All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably.
Donations and legacies
Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance by the charity before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that these conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.
32
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
Grants receivable
Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released.
Expenditure
All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.
Charitable activities
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
Grant provisions
Provisions for grants are made when the intention to make a grant has been communicated to the recipient but there is uncertainty about either the timing of the grant or the amount of grant payable.
Support costs
Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, for example, allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage.
Governance costs
These include the costs attributable to the charity’s compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, including audit, strategic management and trustees meetings and reimbursed expenses.
Government grants
Government grants are recognised based on the accrual model and are measured at the fair value of the asset received or receivable. Grants are classified as relating either to revenue or to assets. Grants relating to revenue are recognised in income over the period in which the related costs are recognised. Grants relating to assets are recognised over the expected useful life of the asset. Where part of a grant relating to an asset is deferred, it is recognised as deferred income.
Taxation
The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
33
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
Tangible fixed assets
Individual fixed assets costing £250.00 or more are initially recorded at cost.
Depreciation and amortisation
Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows:
Asset class
Furniture and Equipment
Depreciation method and rate 5 years straight line
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.
Borrowings
Interest-bearing borrowings are initially recorded at fair value, net of transaction costs. Interestbearing borrowings are subsequently carried at amortised cost, with the difference between the proceeds, net of transaction costs, and the amount due on redemption being recognised as a charge to the Statement of Financial Activities over the period of the relevant borrowing.
Interest expense is recognised on the basis of the effective interest method and is included in interest payable and similar charges.
Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the charity has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting date.
Fund structure
Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.
Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.
34
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
3 Income from donations and legacies
| 3 Income from donations and legacies | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted | Total | Total | |
| General £ |
funds £ |
2025 £ |
2024 £ |
|
| Donations and legacies; | ||||
| Donations | 59,519 | 47,953 | 107,472 | 48,459 |
| Gift aid reclaimed | - | 181 | 181 | 425 |
| Grants, including capital grants; | ||||
| Government grants | - | 137,908 | 137,908 | 28,093 |
| 59,519 | 186,042 | 245,561 | 76,977 |
Included in the Government grants total of £137,908 is the amount of £109,776 received from WCVA: National Forest for Wales Landscape Pilot.
4 Expenditure on charitable activities
| 4 Expenditure on charitable activities | ||
|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted Total |
|
| General £ |
funds £ 2025 £ |
|
| Site management | - | 466 466 |
| Independent examiners fee | 5,170 | - 5,170 |
| Insurance | 1,357 | - 1,357 |
| Website | 646 | - 646 |
| Postage, printing and stationery | 56 | 4 60 |
| Grants paid | - | 56,923 56,923 |
| Volunteering expenses | 3,431 | 360 3,791 |
| Marketing | 19,322 | 495 19,817 |
| Donation platform fees | 1,566 | - 1,566 |
| Software and software support costs | 370 | - 370 |
| Research expenses | - | 2,787 2,787 |
| Depreciation | 2,622 | - 2,622 |
| Admin expenses | - | 49 49 |
| 34,540 | 61,084 95,624 |
35
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted
funds Restricted Total
General funds 2024
£ £ £
Site management 782 - 782
-
Independent examiners fee 3,770 3,770
Insurance 1,152 - 1,152
Website 540 - 540
Postage, printing and stationery 7 - 7
-
Grants paid 16,336 16,336
Volunteering expenses 2,670 2,341 5,011
-
Marketing 1,968 1,968
-
Donation platform fees 1,944 1,944
Software and software support costs 304 - 304
-
Research expenses 1,746 1,746
-
Depreciation 2,622 2,622
Admin expenses - 120 120
15,759 20,543 36,302
----- End of picture text -----
5 Trustees remuneration and expenses
During the year the charity made the following transactions with trustees:
H B Allen
£12 (2024: £Nil) of expenses were reimbursed to H B Allen during the year.
No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year.
No trustees have received any other benefits from the charity during the year.
6 Independent examiner's remuneration
| 6 Independent examiner's remuneration | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 £ |
2024 £ |
|
| Examination of the fnancial statements and provision of other services. | 5,170 | 3,770 |
7 Taxation
The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.
36
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
8 Tangible fixed assets
| 8 Tangible fxed assets | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furniture and equipment £ |
Land £ |
Total £ |
|||
| Cost | |||||
| At 1 October 2024 | 13,111 | 644,542 | 657,653 | ||
| Additions | - | 14,882 | 14,882 | ||
| At 30 September 2025 | 13,111 | 659,424 | 672,535 | ||
| Depreciation | |||||
| At 1 October 2024 | 5,068 | - | 5,068 | ||
| Charge for the year | 2,622 | - | 2,622 | ||
| At 30 September 2025 | 7,690 | - | 7,690 | ||
| Net book value | |||||
| At 30 September 2025 | 5,421 | 659,424 | 664,845 | ||
| At 30 September 2024 | 8,043 | 644,542 | 652,585 | ||
| 9 Fixed asset investments | |||||
| 2025 £ |
2024 £ |
||||
| Shares in group undertakings and participating interests | 1 | 1 | |||
| Shares in group undertakings and participating interests |
----- Start of picture text -----
Subsidiary
Total
undertakings
£
£
Cost
Additions 1 1
At 30 September 2025 1 1
Net book value
At 30 September 2025 1 1
----- End of picture text -----
37
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
Details of undertakings
Details of the investments in which the charity holds 20% or more of the nominal value of any class of share capital are as follows:
----- Start of picture text -----
Country of Proportion of voting
Undertaking incorporation Holding rights and shares held Principal activity
2025 2024
Subsidiary undertakings
Generating
Carbon Community
England and Wales Ordinary 100% 100% income for the
Trading Limited
parent charity.
----- End of picture text -----
Subsidiaries
The loss for the financial period of Carbon Community Trading Limited was £65,091 (2024 - £55,070) and the aggregate amount of capital and reserves at the end of the period was £(166,672) (2024 - £(101,581)).
Carbon Community Trading Limited was incorporated on 26.10.20. Company registration number 12973020.
Carbon Community Trading Limited was established as a trading company in 2020 for the purpose of future revenue streams with all future profits going to The Carbon Community. Tree planting and maintenance is undertaken by Carbon Community Trading Limited.
----- Start of picture text -----
10Debtors
2025 2024
£ £
Due from subsidiary undertakings 700,869 550,516
Debtors includes £700,869 (2024: £550,516) receivable after more than one year.
2025 2024
£ £
Due from subsidiary undertakings 700,869 550,516
----- End of picture text -----
Please also see note 16 Non-adjusting events after the financial period, which explains the change in this balance after the end of the financial period.
11Cash and cash equivalents
| 2025 £ |
2024 £ |
|
|---|---|---|
| Cash at bank | 169,699 | 177,249 |
38
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
12Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
| 12Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 £ |
2024 £ |
|
| Trade creditors | 4,800 | - |
| Other loans | 100,000 | 60,000 |
| Accruals | 3,850 | 3,600 |
| 108,650 | 63,600 | |
| 13Creditors: amounts falling due after one year | ||
| 2025 £ |
2024 £ |
|
| Other loans | - | 40,000 |
The loan of £100,000 (2024 - £100,000) is secured by a fixed charge over the Land at Glandwr, Cynghordy.
14 Analysis of net assets between funds
| 14 Analysis of net assets between funds | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds General £ 664,845 1 870,568 (108,650) 1,426,764 Unrestricted funds General £ 652,585 1 703,487 (63,600) (40,000) 1,252,473 |
Restricted | Total funds at 30 September |
|
| funds £ |
2025 £ |
||
| Tangible fxed assets | - | 664,845 | |
| Fixed asset investments | - | 1 | |
| Current assets | - | 870,568 | |
| Current liabilities | - | (108,650) | |
| Total net assets | - | 1,426,764 | |
| Restricted | Total funds at 30 September |
||
| funds £ |
2024 £ |
||
| Tangible fxed assets | - | 652,585 | |
| Fixed asset investments | - | 1 | |
| Current assets | 24,278 | 727,765 | |
| Current liabilities | - | (63,600) | |
| Creditors over 1 year | - | (40,000) | |
| Total net assets | 24,278 | 1,276,751 |
39
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
15 Related party transactions
Donations from the trustees and their immediate family during the year totalled £12. (2024 - £nil).
Heather Allen, a trustee, has provided an interest free secured loan of £200,000 to the charity. The balance outstanding at the end of the year was £100,000 (2024 - £100,000). The £100,000 outstanding balance has been shown as a current liability, but there is a flexible repayment arrangement.
The Charity made a further loan of £150,291 to Carbon Community Trading Limited during the year. The balance due to be repaid at the end of the year was £700,869 (2024 -£550,516).
Carbon Community Trading Limited is a wholly owned and VAT registered trading subsidiary which runs the forest and site operations for The Carbon Community. Repayment of this loan has historically been deferred until such time that Carbon Community Trading Limited starts to generate sufficient income to be in a position to make repayments. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the loan repayments, we have not valued the loan at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. We do not consider this to affect the true and fair view given in the accounts at the year end date.
16 Non-adjusting events after the financial period
Subsequent to the year end, the trustees of The Carbon Community reviewed the funding provided to Carbon Community Trading Ltd to support the delivery of the charity’s charitable activities. Following this review, the trustees resolved that funding of £648,329, which had been advanced to the trading subsidiary as at 30 September 2025, would be treated as a permanent grant rather than a repayable loan.
At the reporting date, this amount was included within debtors falling due after more than one year, which totalled £700,869. The trustees’ decision was made after the end of the reporting period and relates to conditions arising after that date. Accordingly, this represents a non-adjusting event and no adjustments have been made to the amounts recognised in these financial statements.
Following this decision, the intercompany loan balance receivable from the subsidiary is expected to reduce to £52,540 in the year ended 30 September 2026.
Subsequent to the year end, the trustees of The Carbon Community discussed the £100,000 outstanding mortgage balance with Heather Allen. During the year to 30th September 2026 Heather kindly decided to clear the outstanding mortgage balance by making a donation of £100,000 to the charity.
40
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
17 Commitments
Grant commitments
The Carbon Community awarded a grant of £158,976 to the Waring Ecology Lab at Imperial College London in September 2023.
The grant start date was 1st July 2023 and runs for a period of 36 months. The grant of £158,976 included a figure of £18,612 to cover the salary of a lab technician for a period of 5 months, 1st August 2023 to 31st December 2023. £44,736 was paid to Imperial College in the year to 30th September 2025. The balance of £95,628 was carried forward at 30th September 2025 and is not provided for in the accounts.The remaining balance of the Imperial college grant is performance-related. No further services other than those already paid for in the year were provided by the recipients prior to 30th September 2025. Therefore no further costs are recognised in the accounts.
The Carbon Community awarded a grant of £24,396 to the University of Swansea in 2024. The unclaimed balance at 1st October 2024 was £12,198. During the year to 30th September 2025, £12,187 was paid to Swansea University and the remaining balance of £11 will not be paid.
Outstanding commitments not recognised as a liability at 30th September 2025 are as follows:-
Imperial College Grant - £95,628 Swansea Grant - £0
Total £95,628
41
The Carbon Community
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
----- Start of picture text -----
18 Funds
Balance
Balance at
Incoming Resources at 30
1 October Transfers
resources expended September
2024 £
£ £ 2025
£
£
Unrestricted funds
General
Unrestricted 607,931 59,595 (34,540) 134,354 767,340
Designated
Land 644,542 - - 14,882 659,424
Total unrestricted funds 1,252,473 59,595 (34,540) 149,236 1,426,764
Restricted funds
-
Scientific research 24,278 33,754 (60,335) 2,303
- -
Tree planting 42,513 (749) (41,764)
National Forest for Wales
- - -
Landscape Pilot 109,775 (109,775)
Total restricted funds 24,278 186,042 (61,084) (149,236) -
Total funds 1,276,751 245,637 (95,624) - 1,426,764
Balance
Balance at
Incoming Resources at 30
1 October Transfers
resources expended September
2023 £
£ £ 2024
£
£
Unrestricted funds
General
Unrestricted 591,534 22,510 (15,759) 9,646 607,931
Designated
Land 644,542 - - - 644,542
Total unrestricted funds 1,236,076 22,510 (15,759) 9,646 1,252,473
Restricted
- -
Scientific research 44,821 (20,543) 24,278
- - -
Tree planting 9,646 (9,646)
Total restricted funds - 54,467 (20,543) (9,646) 24,278
Total funds 1,236,076 76,977 (36,302) - 1,276,751
----- End of picture text -----
42
The Carbon Community
UK Register Charity number 1187231
Formed as a private company limited by guarantee, registration number 12273280
@TheCarbonCom
The Carbon Community